NightSong
by KandyCraze
Summary: The Avengers learn that Bruce Banner isn't exactly all alone in the world...
1. Prologue

_This is my first fanfic, so I apologize in advance_

"Sir, you have a call." A computerized voice stated, interrupting the silence in his creator workroom.

"I'm busy, JARVIS. I'm not in right now, got it?" a very annoyed Tony Stark replied. He was on the brink of a huge breakthrough. He just knew it! Maybe if he reduced the power by 19%...

"Sir, I have reason to believe that it may, in fact, be in your best interests…"

"Busy! I'm just about to get this right."

"Mr. Stark. It is a young woman. She says she is a friend of Dr. Banner." JARVIS replied. Tony's head shot up, hitting his head on the rack above his table. He rubbed his now sore head, images of Bruce Banner running through his mind. Fond memories sprang up of the good doctor, one of the few whom he would consider a good friend.

"I'll take the call."

"Hello?" Tony spoke into his Bluetooth. He was in his living room now, lounging on his couch.

"Mr. Stark? Thank God! Listen carefully. I'm in Balsamar, Venezuela. We need your help. The cartel has taken over our town! They are killing our men and raping our women. They force us to work their marijuana fields. Tell Bruce that Emily needs him. He will come."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lady, if you expect Dr. Banner to just up and leave for Goddamn Venezuela, you've got another thing coming." The nerve of this woman! Still, it sounded urgent.

"There is no time for this! Just deliver the message. If he chooses not to come, it's his own choice. Now hurry! There isn't much time… no! Get away from me! Let me go! Help!" The line cut off. Tony removed his Bluetooth, frowning thoughtfully. This promised interesting.

"JARVIS, call the others in. Especially Banner. Tell him that Emily needs him."

_Like I said, this is my first fanfic, so any feedback would be great, even if it's to say that this is terrible._


	2. Bombshell

_Got some good reviews, so I guess I did something right. Here you go._

Tony was just pouring him and Steve Rogers some drinks when Dr. Banner burst into the penthouse. His eyes were a dangerous shade of green.

"Please tell me I heard you right. You did say Emily, right?" He probed.

"Woah. Calm down there, big guy. That couch is brand new. Cost me plenty too. I can't have you destroying the place." Tony stood protectively over his brand-new couch with his arms spread out. Even Steve reached for his shield. The assassins' hands eased towards their guns. Bruce rolled his eyes, closed them, took a few deep breaths, and reopened them.

"There. See? I'm fine. Just tell me what she said. I need to know! How was she? Is she in trouble? Where the hell is she? What did she say?!" At this point the doctor needed to pause for breath. Tony rolled his eyes. Banner was acting like a child who just found out he was getting a puppy.

"One question at a time, Doc. Sheesh!" The billionaire took his sweet time getting back to the bar and taking a sip of his drink. _This lady must really mean something to Bruce_, he thought. "Alright. In order, I didn't exactly get the chance to ask about her health. Yes, she's in trouble. She's in Venezuela. She said that their local cartel had taken over their town. They're harassing and killing the townspeople, and forcing them to grow their pot. That's all I know. Now I think it's you turn to fill US in. Who is this chick?"

All eyes turned to Bruce. He squirmed under the gaze of his friends. He'd purposely avoided speaking of his past and personal life. "Well…she's someone I grew up with. I thought she was dead." His eyes grew misty as he looked out the window. His friends waited expectantly. "She ran away a long time ago. We were very close. You see," turning around. "She's my sister."

There was silence. One could have heard a pin drop. Steve was the first to stir from the shock. "Sister? I thought you had no family, let alone any siblings." This was entirely too confusing.

"She's my little sister by 5 years. It was my job to take care of her. I failed. There was an accident. Poor Emily blamed herself, even though she was only seven. But our father did, too. So she ran away. That was fifteen years ago. I haven't heard from her since. I just assumed that she was dead after all these years. Venezuela, you say? But how?" Exhausted from the shock and trying to figure it all out, Dr. Banner collapsed on the couch. He just sat there, head in his hands. Natasha walked over to him and gently placed her hand between his shoulder blades.

"This must be so hard for you, Dr. Banner. Don't worry. We'll figure this out." She said soothingly. He started and looked at her hard.

"Hard? Figure out?" He bolted up. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to me! What's there to figure out? I need to go to her. She needs my help! I can't just leave her there. I thought she was dead for so long. I refuse to lose her again." With this, he started out the door. Suddenly he pulled back. He looked to his friends. I could use your help, you know. I want you all to meet her. And I might need your help saving her. Please?" He looked pleadingly to each of his fellow Avengers in turn. Tony and Natasha shrugged. Clint nodded. Steve approached Bruce and put out his hand.

"We're a team. We stick together. That includes family."

_Hope this is good. Again, ALL reviews are appreciated!_


	3. Business Arrangement

Emily Banner woke up to find herself on the cold, hard floor. The first thought that registered was how dark it was. The second was that it was oddly cool. She must be underground. No one had air conditioning around here. As her eyes adjusted, she saw that the room she was being imprisoned in was completely and totally empty.

BAM! A door slammed open, pouring light into the dark room. Emily shielded her eyes, and squinted against the piercing light. Her arm was suddenly seized roughly by a huge figure and yanked to her feet. Exhausted, she complied. Even now, she struggled to remember how she arrived in this mysterious place. That's right! She had called Tony Stark with hopes of reaching Bruce, when she was snatched from behind by a cartel member. He had thrown her onto the ground and she hit her head. That's all she could remember.

The man who had her now dragged her down a long hall into another room. This one had a metal table and two chairs, one on either side. There was also a single naked lightbulb in the center of the ceiling that cast off a pale yellow glow. In one of the chairs sat a man she recognized all too well. His name was Julio Gonzales, leader of the cartel, and he was ruthless.

"Well, if it isn't little NightSong. That is what those peasants call you, is it not? Yes, I have heard the stories of your great "powers", how you know what others think. Of your healing touch. I do not believe it. After all, if you were so great, you would have escaped by now, no? Sit." he gestured to the chair. Emily's captor tossed her into the seat none too gently. "So, you tried to contact the outside world for help. Silly niña. There is no one who can help you. Especially now. I should have you killed right here. However," He stood up and began to walk around, taking care to stay on the opposite side of the table "However, you may prove useful. Those simpletons worship you. You command, they obey. Now," he leaned across the table towards her, hands spread out."I suppose we could manage a little business arrangement."

"I'm listening." she acknowledged. Emily would do anything to protect these people who had accepted her and whom she had adopted as her own. She must keep him interested! "What kind of, er, arrangement would this be?"

"As I said, those common villagers are estúpido. You, however. You are different. You are the only one who even thought to defy me. I like that." Gonzales grinned, revealing his tobacco stained teeth. "I like a little bit of fire. So perhaps we can work something out. You may continue to lead your people. In fact, I demand you continue your duties. However, you will tell them that you have seen the light and and that it truly be in the best interest of all parties involved if they worked in my fields. If they fed and clothed my men. Gave us their women for our desire and their men for our work. It could prove mutually beneficial."

"What's in it for me?" C'mon, Em! Keep him talking. there must be a way out of this mess! You owe it to these people.

"You retain your dignity, position, and most important, your life. You're getting off very well compared to others I have dealt with." His gaze held such intensity it took everything the young woman had not to squirm. "Do we have a bargain?"

Emily could take it no more. She leaned in close. "There's something you should know first, Señor Gonzales. About the villagers." she whispered, even batted her eyelashes for full effect. He licked his lips and found himself leaning in as well. In a flash, Emily had him by the collar. He gaped in horror at her flashing green eyes as she growled out, "I will never lead them to serve filth like you" and pushed him back in his seat.

Within moments, Julio's henchman had her in a chokehold. Gonzales composed himself and straightened his collar. Finally, when he deemed worthy, he favored her with his cold glare. "You will pay for that, gringo whelp. Juan! Escort this woman back to her cell. I do not want her damaged in any way. Not yet."

_Thanks for reading! Again, Feedback!_


	4. Arrival in Venezuela

_Sorry guys. I've been on vacation in NJ with my grandparents, so I haven't really been able to update._

As the Stark private jet flew across the skies for Valencia, Venezuela, the Avengers sat around discussing the situation that had been thrust upon them. Natasha kept glancing with concern at Dr. Banner, who was staring out the window, obviously deeply in thought. She looked to her companion, Clint, who only shrugged. She was about to ask him what he was thinking when Steve beat her to the punch.

"What's this sister of yours like?" he asked. "She doesn't get mean and green when she's pissed, does she?" It was a coarse way of putting it, but they were all wondering the same thing. Bruce just gave a little smile and shook his head.

"Nah. In fact, she's the calm one. She's, um, special. You guys will like her. When she was little, she was the sweetest thing." His eyes clouded as he smiled thoughtfully, remembering his baby sister. "I would have done anything for her. I still would. She was a baby compared to me, but she was my best friend. I loved her so much. When she ran away, I was convinced that I was dying on the inside, so much did it hurt to lose her." He suddenly snapped back to the present. "But now I've found her. I refuse to lose her again. If only this damn plane would hurry up."

A couple hours later, they arrived in Valencia. As they stepped into the city, each one of them was overwhelmed by the immediate cultural differences. Everywhere, the people chattered away in Spanish. The dress was exotic. Simple, yet exquisite. Various smells were in the air. Bruce and Steve were astounded. Natasha and Clint, not so much. They had been here before on an assignment some years back. Tony only wrinkled his nose at the smell.

"Golden Girl would love this. Seeing all these even more primitive humans." Stark commented snidely, referring to the last member of their team, Thor, Prince of Asgard. His friends just rolled their eyes and wisely decided to ignore him. Only trouble could follow should any of them even appear to take a side for or against Tony.

Once they had all settled into the bus that would take them to Balsamar, Dr. Banner's thoughts turned to his friends. How would they take to little Emmy? Especially once they knew the truth about her… speaking of which, how was he supposed to tell them? Surely they were already wondering what the "accident" was that caused her to run. So much to worry about and figure out. _Emily will know what to do._ He thought. _Just hang in there, Baby Sister. I'm coming._

Emily was back in her prison. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the suffocating darkness. Her cell was roughly 6 by 10 feet, with only a metal slab on the wall to serve as a bed. She got up off the floor, using the "bed for support. Her heart was pounding. The things they must have planned! A chill ran up her spine as she remembered the look in the eyes of her captor. What had he meant by not yet? She could find out now from her guard, who was just outside the door. _No,_ _not here. Not now. It will only frighten you more. Well, maybe just a peek._ As she concentrated, frightening images appeared in her mind. Such fear! The pain! It was too much. She shook her head dispelling the images out of her mind. She curled up on her metal slab and silently sobbed in fear. _Hurry, Bruce. Oh, hurry up!_

_Not the best, but it will have to do. Sorry it was late. I was on vacay. Let me know what you think. It's really hard, because I can never write out and describe the scenes in my head well enough. I just can't do it justice._


	5. Stark Industries

_So, yeah. I would love some input. I have no idea if I'm doing this right. I feel like I've somehow messed it up. I'm kinda just wingin it._

The bus ride was long and harsh. By the end of it, the entire team felt like they might have damaged half their brain cells with the jarring bumps and potholes. The village of Balsamar was small, tiny really. The most prominent was the silence. As the friends looked around, they noticed that there was not a soul to be seen. Clint's voice broke the silence "They're scared of us. They're hiding. They're probably so intimidated that they don't know who will hurt them or help them."

"How are we supposed to find Bruce's sister if the people won't even talk to us?" Steve wondered aloud. "Maybe we need to let them know that we're friends."

"And how exactly do you suggest we do that, Cap? Give 'em a bunch of shiny new toys?" Tony retorted. "Maybe we just need to, _persuade,_ them." He reached for his bracelet. One touch to it and a voice command, and his extra "briefcase" would expand and unfold, revealing it's true identity as the famous Iron Man suit. Bruce grabbed his hand.

"Absolutely not. If anything, that will scare them worse. Besides, you can't ruin their homes. Their livelihoods. It would destroy them. This village, it's all they got. I have an idea. Follow my lead." He walked over to the well and pulled up the bucket that had been left when the owner had fled at the sound of their approach. Steve went across the street and righted a cart that had tipped over. Tony and Clint went and rounded up the goats that had been left to wander, while Natasha picked up and examined a doll that had been dropped by a little girl. Suddenly, they heard a small cry and saw the owner of the lost doll run over to her. Natasha dropped on one knee.

"Is this yours?" she asked gently. The girl, obviously not understanding, reached for the doll. Natasha repeated the question, in Spanish this time. "¿_Este es tu muñeca_?" The little girl nodded, replying "_Sí, su nombre es Emilia. Ese es el nombre del Sabio." _The Russian pulled back, obviously caught off guard.

"What did she say?" Steve asked. The spy looked at them all and said, "The doll's name is Emilia, which is their version of Emily. That's the name of "The Wise One", apparently. That must be what they call her. Bruce? Any thoughts?" He shook his head. "That makes sense for her" was all he said. Natasha nodded and handed the doll to the youngster.

That's when they noticed that, ever so slowly, the rest of the villagers were reappearing. Apparently, the stranger's treatment of the little girl had convinced that these were, in fact, friends. The child ran over to a woman they assumed to be her mother. The woman wrapped her arms around her babe protectively as the men grew closer. They each carried a tool in their hand, ready for a fight. One man stepped forward to greet them.

"_Amigos_. What brings you to our village?" He asked, spade in hand. "We are armed, and not afraid. But, I do not think you are here to cause trouble, no? You, "He said, gesturing to Bruce. "_Señor, _you make me think of _Arrullanoche._ There is something of your face." Suddenly, his eyes widened. "She spoke of a brother. You are he, no?" He lowered his "weapon".

"Yeah? Where is she?" The saddened look on the other man's face immediately worried Bruce. He took a step closer and lowered his voice into a threatening growl. "I said, where is she?" The man stepped back, disturbed by what he had seen in this strange man's eyes.

"_S-Señor, _sh-she's been taken bythe guerillas. She was when she was trying to call you two days ago. She refused to help them, so they keep her locked up. She managed to send word yesterday. She's fine. She said, once you get in to their _fortaleza, _that you would be able to find your way. There's something else she wanted you to know. They have metal men who carry great guns. Ones that bear a name on it. Uh, Shark? No, Stark! That's it! Stark Industries. She said you would understand. By the way, I am Victor Ramirez_._" He put his hand out. Bruce shook it, and glanced at Tony. He was obviously shocked by the disturbing news that _his_ weapons were being used to terrorize an entire village.

"I'm Bruce Banner, Emily's brother. This is Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, and, uh, Tony Stark." He gestured to each of his team mates in turn, pausing when he got to Tony. How would he take this? _No, _Bruce thought, shaking his head. _We have other things to worry about, like "Metal men". _ "Is there anything else you can tell me?" Victor shook his head.

"No. Tomorrow, we will bring you to where your sister is being held. But come! It is late. You will rest here tonight. My wife will prepare you something to eat. Come!" he turned to his house" You will dine in my home."

...

Emily gazed at the stars through the crack she had carved in the wall. Bruce had arrived. He knew what she had told dear Victor. She could feel that he was near. _I hope Victor didn't forget anything,_ she thought. _They need all the information I can give them. I hope you didn't come alone. When we are together again, I swear, I will never leave you alone again._


	6. PLEASE READ!

PLEASE READ!

Okay so SOPA is back, guys. This time it's trying to make streaming copyrighted material a _felony. _Do you know what that means? It means you can be charged and even do jail time for

Making fanart

Covering a song

If there's a song on on the background of a video, it still counts

_Writing fanfiction _

This puts US in jail, guys! Are we really felons for being dedicated fans?

There's a petition to stop it from happening, and it still needs 66,151 signatures so please sign it. Here's the link below:

.gov/petition/stop-sopa-2013/LMzMVrQF


	7. Like a snake

_Well, school's back in session, but I'll try to keep the story up. Sorry if I'm slow getting the chapters out._

Emily was meditating on the floor when she heard her jailer approaching her cell door. As it opened, she squinted and raised her hand against the piercing light pouring into the darkness she had grown accustomed to. She could make out the man's outline against the brightness behind him. In his hands was a tray with her dinner. He slammed it onto her bed. "Eat." She quickly stood up and moved to sit next to the tray. Cautiously, she examined its contents. There was a bowl with a stew of some sort, a hunk of fairly fresh bread, and a cup of water. Her stomach growled at the sight of her first meal in days. She carefully took a whiff. Smells all right, she thought. She couldn't take it anymore. She tore into the food ravenously.

As she ate, she felt the burly man's gaze rove over her body. What was he called? Juan? _Oh, no you don't._ She thought. She stood abruptly, catching him off guard. "I need to go to the bathroom." She said authoritatively. Glowering, he silently walked out the room as she followed. There was a hallway, at the end of which was a staircase leading upstairs. He went the opposite way. She briefly considered making a run for it, but quickly decided against it. There would no doubt be guards out there. She could take them easily, but she preferred not to make a mess of it. She was quite fond of that shirt. She turned and walked quickly to catch up with the man. He stopped outside a small bathroom and stood beside the door. She tilted her chin ever so slightly as she walked past him into the room. The best way to handle him was intimidation without overt insubordination.

There was a small window at the top of the wall of the tiny powder room. She stood on the toilet to peek out. There wasn't much to see, just a surrounding cluster of small huts. She wasn't able to tell the exact time, but it appeared to be late morning. She jumped down and finished up. When she walked out, she breezed past Juan without even looking back and headed right for her cell. She glanced to the staircase longingly before peaceably reentering. The man came in, gruffly seized the tray, cast one last leer in her direction and stormed out, locking the door behind him.

When he was gone, Emily repositioned herself on the floor. She began to tremble slightly. The thoughts this man had, they were frightening. His fantasies, sick. Bruce would have killed him for less. She should have killed him. He was like a snake, waiting for her to weaken so he could devour her. The only thing that had stopped her was how her village might be punished for her actions. She shook her head and straightened her back, visualizing her tension draining out of her and into the earth. She felt her muscles relax and the trembling cease. _Oh, God, please take me away from this dreadful place_, She prayed.

Steve had woken up early to the sound of movement outside. He quickly but silently got up and made for the door, his military training taking over. He cautiously stuck his head out the door, only to see two children with Victor. Steve instantly recognized the little girl from yesterday. Victor turned to look at the soldier.

"Ah!_ Buenos dias, amigo_! I trust you slept well? I was only preparing for our journey today, when these two came out to help their old papi. Are your friends awake yet?" Steve shook his head. "No, I expected not. Well, no matter. You are awake, so I will tell you what I know._ Rosa, toma poca Carlos para ver si tu madre tiene listo el desayuno_. (Rosa, take little Carlos and go see if your mother has breakfast ready.) Rosa scooped up her little brother, (who was almost her size) and hurried off to see her mother. Victor smiled after his young ones. He turned back to Steve. "So, what do you need to know first?"


	8. She Must Go

"These guerillas, they are very bad men." Victor warned. It was clear that he was afraid of them. "They threaten us. Beat the men. Rape our women and children. They say if we do not grow their coca plants, they will burn out our village. We once tried to fight, but they have advanced weapons. The same kind your friend makes." Rage burned in Steve, but he swallowed it. Tony would be upset about this. "Last month,_ Arrullanoch_e went out to spy on their barracks. She saw something that terrified her. She refused to speak of it to anyone but myself. She said she saw metal creatures. Some walked upright, like men. Others, on four legs, like dogs. The four legged ones had teeth like knives, and they all had eyes that cast light before them. They were fast, impossibly fast. They had guns woven into their bodies. I would not believe it, but _El Sabio_ does not lie." Here he stopped, and gazed sadly to the ground, shaking his head. "She disappeared three days ago, but she managed to send word to tell us of her fate. She went to the nearest town with a phone so she could call your friend. She must have managed to get through, if you are here. " Now he looked up at Steve, despair in his eyes. "Please, can you not save her? She is like a daughter to me. She has done so much for our village. You must save her!"

Bruce was up and about as well. He was with Victor's wife, Sonia, as she prepared breakfast. She was so serene as she made the _arepas_ that they would later eat. Her eyes flicked up from her work to meet his own brown ones.

"You are her brother, no?" He straightened up, slightly taken aback by the question.

"Y-yes. She's my junior by 5 years. She left many years ago. I miss her so much. How long has she been here with you? How did she get here? How was she before all this?" He was bursting with questions.

Sonia smiled at this man's excitement. "She arrived here seven years ago. She was well before she was taken. As for how she got here, That is a longer story." She looked down and continued her work as she explained. "The story as she tells it is that many years ago, she ran away. she never said why, so we never asked. She walked many days. It was hard, especially for one so young. Eventually, she reached the ocean. She was eight, but very smart. She avoided police, and finally stumbled into a small town. Come to find out it was a pirate hovel." Sonia wrinkled her nose in distaste. "She's lucky to be alive. A few wanted to harm her, but something stopped them. When their captain came in, he listened to her story and had pity on her. And that is how your sister became a pirate." She grinned and shook her head.

"When she was 15, she became tired of that life. She was rowdy, a skilled fighter, and could already drink as much as any of those scoundrels. Yet she longed for a stable life. So she left. Wandered here in the forest for many weeks, learning from the animals what was good to eat. Our men found her, and she has stayed here ever since. She knows much of medicine for both the body and soul. She is strong. In truth, many of the men fear her. That is why she is yet unmarried, although a few have tried for her hand. She may have started off a delicate American flower, but she grew up to be a hearty Rosa de Montaña. A beautiful flower, drawing attention to the hidden strength within the wood of the tree."

Bruce smiled at the woman's description of his sister. "That's little Emily, alright. She could fit in anywhere."

""She is not so little anymore, Bruce." Sonia chided "She is a grown woman of twenty-two, but wise beyond her years. You should be careful to remember that. She is quite particular about that."

"She would be." replied Bruce with a small smile. "Tell me, what is she like? What does she like to eat? How does she spend her days? I've heard nothing about her for years. I want to know about everything."

Rosa walked in, carrying her little brother Carlos. She went up to her mother, asking,"_¿Es el desayuno casi listo?_" (Is breakfast almost ready?) Sonia nodded to her daughter. The little girl put down her brother and hurried back out. Carlos sat down on the floor and played with some leaves that had been tracked in. The mother looked lovingly at her son and turned her attention back to the young man before her. It was amusing how much he really did care about his sister. Surely he knew the truth about her. They were of the same flesh, after all. "She is strong. Kind. She always takes care of others first, though she could easily claim dominance. She loves _dulce de leche_, with extra honey. She spends her days healing our sick and wounded. When she's not doing that, she's either playing and watching over the children, or she's out there speaking with her beasts and watching over the village. Since she has been here, there has been much good fortune. Few animals travel here uninvited. There is less division between the men. The children are safer. It would be sad to see her go."

"That sounds like her. I'm sorry, but if I can, I'm taking her with me. I lost her once and thought she was dead. I'm not letting it happen again." Bruce stated firmly. No way would he let history repeat itself. Not again. Sonis merely nodded in understanding. _The bond between these two is strong. He traveled halfway around the world at a word from her. They need each other. She must go._


End file.
